Swiss 18K gold minute repeating lever dress watch Circa 1925

Gold open faced repeating lever watch by Touchon & Co
–
A fine, rare and thin Swiss 18 carat gold open faced minute repeating keyless lever dress watch, made in the 1920s. Rhodium-plated movement, Geneva Striping decoration, 27 jewels, a straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with five adjustments, blued steel Breguet balance spring and swan-neck micrometre regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide on the band. Matte champagne-coloured dial with black champlevé dauphine numerals, an outer minute track, subsidiary seconds, the centre engine-turned and original black Breguet hands. The polished case with a semi-concealed hinge. Hinged gold cuvette. Dial and movement signed Touchon & Co, movement and case also signed Wittnauer & Co, Switzerland.
–
Diameter: 46 mm
–
Signed: Touchon & Co Genève
–
Touchon & Co. A watch manufacturer that was first established in Sécheron, later in Petit-Saconnex (districts of Geneva) and subsequently at 1, Place de la Fusterie. The trademark was registered on February 2, 1907, under No. 21652. The manufacturer, which produced high-quality watches, merged with Agassiz Watch Co. S.A., to launch extra slim watches on the market of 16 1/2″‘- 17/12th, 15/12th, 10/12th and even 10″‘- 10/12th. This latter movement, fitted in its case, could be concealed into a 20-dollar coin and was awarded the Gold Medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1889 and, in 1910, received the highest distinction in Brussels. The company produced these watches for Tiffany. In 1921, Touchon entered into a partnership with Wittnauer, under the new company name of Wittnauer & Cie, for the production of watches and spare parts, and moved premises to 4, Rue du Mont-Blanc until 1924.